Boiler-feeder.



III

- Patented Oct. 28, |902. I. S. DAVIS.

BOILER FEEDER.

(Application filed Nov. 2, 1901.I

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(Application med Nov. 2, 1901.)

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attains/13o SLW/(Messes No. 72,267. v Patented Oct. 28, i902.

I. S. DAVIS. BDILER FEEDER.

Application filed Nov. 2, 19o1\ (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 3 ifm v l/vihwooao .i I r l if M rgw l l i v ttoznma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRVING S. DAVIS, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOILER- FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N O. 712,267, dated October 28, 1902.

Application filed November 2, 1901. Serial No. 80,918. (No model.)

To lf/ZL whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that l, IRVING S. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide. an improved automatic boiler-feeder which will maintain the water in the boiler at its normal level and in combination therewith a pump for forcing liquid fuel into the furnace of the boiler or for compressing air to be used for that purpose. The boilerfeeder comprises a casing and a steam-operated plunger therein, said plunger having a water-pocket into which the water is forced by the plunger itself through suitable'valve-controlled passage-ways, and the water-pocket containing the charge of water is carried by the plunger into register with ports in the side of the casing, one of which is connected to the steamspace in the boiler, the other being connected to the boiler at or below the normal waterlevel, whereby the water is permitted to pass by gravity into the boiler until the latter becomes filled to the level of the plunger, which is arranged at the normal Water-level of the boiler. Vhen this level is reached, the movement of the plunger slows down, and there- 'after its activity will be in accordance with the rapidity with which the water in the boiler is evaporated. The steam consumed in operating the plunger will therefore be in accordance with the demands made upon the boiler, a rapid evaporation of water causing an active movement of the plunger, and vice versa. The plunger is operated by a steampiston arranged within a cylinder, and provision is made for preventing the complete stoppage of the plunger and piston by relieving the excess of pressure on the latter when the water in the boiler is at its normal level, thereby preserving the efciency of the feeder as a regulator of the water-level and avoiding an accumulation of condensed water-iu the cylinder, which would interfere with theaction of the piston. The arrangement is such that the Water-pressure in the feeder exceeds the steam-pressure in the boiler, and the leak-1 age, if any, which may occur `will always be from the feeder to the boiler and not from the boiler to the feeder, and therefore steam cannot escape from the boiler through the feeder. For this reason and on account of the peculiar construction stuffing-boxes are not required around the plunger.

The arrangement of valves and ports for controlling the admission and exhaust of steam from the steam-cylinder differs from those in ordinary use on steam-pumps, and the rod which carries the tappet-arm for giving' the initial movement to the auxiliary valve also serves as the plunger of an air or liquid fuel pump, the cylinder of which rod. The several parts are combined in one self-contained structure particularly adapted for use in connection with boilers of motorvehicles, although, of course, it may as satisfactorily be employed in connection with boilers used for any-other purpose.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan view of the complete boiler-feeder and fuel-feeder. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central vertical section through the same, the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy at the commencement of the forward stroke. Fig. 3 is horizontal central section through the steam-valve casing, showing the valves in central position to illustrate the relative arrangement of the valves and ports. Fig. 4. is a section on the line 4 4. of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a section onfthe line 6 6 of Fig. 42.

Referring-to the drawings, l indicates a steam-cylinder, and 2 a water-cylinder of smaller diameter, said cylinders having flanges 3 and 4, respectively, by which they are connected together into one common tubular casing. Within the steam-cylinder is arranged a piston 5, having integrally connected therewith a plunger 6, which extends into the water-cylinder and fits-closely therein. The piston and plunger for the sake of ably made hollow, as shown, and the plunger is provided with heads 7 and 8 which inclose a water pocket or compartment 9. Between lightness and to avoid heat losses are preferserves as a guide for the outer end of said Y IOO pipe 12, leading from a suitable source of water-supply,communicates with the forward end of said cylinder through passage-ways 13 and 14, and fitting within a port 15 between,

said passage-ways 13 and 14 is a check-valve 16, the arrangement being such that when the plungermoves rearwardly-that is, to the right in Fig. 2--the valve 16 will lift from its seat and water will enter the forward end of the water-cylinder. The passage-way 14 connects through a port 17 with a passageway 18, leading to a port 19, which opens into the cylinder 2 at the side of the plunger and at a point where it will register with the port in the water-pocket when the plunger is in its forward position. Within the port 17 is arranged a check-valve 20, this valve being adapted to open and permit the water from the passage-way 14 to pass into the passageway 18 when the water is forced from the cylinder and to prevent the return of the water from the passage-way 1S. Communicating with the passage-way 1S is an air and Water chamber 21, similar to the air-chambers generally arranged upon pumps.

A steam-inlet port 22 enters the side of the casing 2 a short distance in the rear of the water-inlet port 19, and a suitable pipe 23,

leading from the steam-space in the boiler, is connected to the port 22. In the opposite side of the casing from the port 22 is a port 24, communicating through a suitable pipe or conduit 25 with the boiler at or below the normal water-level of the latter. Vhen the plunger is moved to its forward position, the port'lO registers with the port 19, and when the plunger is in its rearward or right-hand `position (shown in Fig. 2) the port `1O communicates with both of the ports 22 and 24. The operation of this part of my invention is `as follows: The feederis arranged so that the plunger will be at the normal level of the water in the boiler. Each time the plunger is moved backward into the position shown in`Fig. 2 by the steam-pressure acting upon the left of the piston 5 water will be drawn into the water-cylinder 2 through the pipe 12, port 15, and passage-way 14, the Valve 16 being lifted o of its seat by the upward pressure of the water. As the piston moves forward the Water thus drawn into the watercylinder will be forced outward through the port 17 and into the passage-way 18 and airchamber 21. From the passage-way 18 the water under pressure will enter the pocket 9 through the port 10 while the plunger is in its forward position. The succeeding rearward stroke of the plunger will close the port 19 and bring the port 10 opposite ports 22 and 24. As these latter ports are connected directly with the steam-boiler, the pressure upon the water contained in the chamber9 of the plunger will then be equal to the boilerpressure, and the water will therefore drop by gravity from the pocket through the conduit 6 into the boiler, providing the water in the boiler is below the level of the plunger. This backward stroke of the plunger also draws more water into the Water-cylinder, and the forward stroke forces the water thus drawn in into the chamber 21 and passage-way 18, from whence it is forced into the pocket 9. This operation is continued until the water in the boiler rises to the level of the waterpocket 9 in the plunger, when of course the water contained in said chamber cannot ow into the boiler by gravity, and as the plunger will then remain full of water until the Waterlevel in the boiler lowers thewater cannot then pass from the passage-way 18 into the pocket 9. Thereafter `the plungercontinues to force water into the air and water chamber 21 until the water-pressure acting upon the end of the plunger balances the steam-pressure upon the right-hand end of the piston 5, when the plunger would naturally cometo a stop. As the area of the end of the plunger is smaller than the area of the righ t-hand end of the piston, the water-pressure Will exceed the steam-pressure and the leakage, if any, will be of Water from the feeder to the boiler and no steam can leak through the feeder. If the plunger be made moderately close fitting, therefore, stuiiing-boxes around the plunger are not required.

It is desirable to keep the plunger and piston from coming to a complete stop when the water-level in the boiler is high and the Water-pressure upon the end of the plunger exceeds the steam-pressure upon the piston and to maintain in such case a very slow motion of the plunger and piston, whereby Water will be carried at each stroke of the plunger into position to feed into the boiler, although, of course, the water will not enter the boiler if the level therein is normal; but any consumption of water by evaporation and' use will be immediately replaced bya like amount from the feeder. It is also desirable to keep the piston in motion in order to prevent the steam-cylinder from cooling and becoming filled with condensed water, which would retard the movement of the piston. In order to accomplish this result, a small opening or perforation 26 is made through the valve 16,

IOO

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so that the Water drawn into the water-cylini operation, but that :it will move very slowly lwhen the water-level in the boiler is normal, and its speed will increase according to the demands of the boiler. The amount of steam consumed in operating the feeder will therefore be in accordance with the amount of wa-l ter evaporated in the boiler.

It will be noted that as the water is forced into the pocket 9 under high pressure the latter therefore lls very quickly. It will also be noted that the steam area upon the left of the piston is less than upon the right; but as the only work done by the right-hand movement of the piston is to draw water into the water-barrel and overcome the friction of the plunger and actuate the oil or air pump, hereinafter referred to, only a small steam area is required at the forward side of the pistou.

To the rear end of the piston 5 is connected a rod 27, which extends through stuffing-box 28, arranged in the cylinder-head 29. This rod carries the tappet-arm 30, which engages alternately the tappets 3l and 32 upon the valve-stem 33 in order to give the initial movements to the auxiliary valve arranged upon said stem within the valve-casing 34. Secured to the cylinder-head' 29 by bracketarms and 36, which extend parallel with the rod 27 on either side thereof, is a casing 37, having a cylindrical bore 38, into which the end of the rod 27 extends. At the outer end of the casing is formed ahollow head 39, with the central chamber 40 of which the bore 38 communicates. An inlet-opening 4l is arranged in the lower' part of the head, and an outlet-opening 42 is arranged at the upper part of the head. A check` Valve 43 is arrangedwithi-n a port connecting the chamber 40 with the inlet-opening 4l, and a similar valve 44 is arranged in a port which connects the chamber 40 with the outlet-opening 42. A stuffing-box 45 is arranged at the forward end of the casing 37, and the rod 27 extends through the stuffing-box into the cylinder 38. It will be apparent that when the piston 5is reciprocated by the steam-pressure the rod 27 will serve as a plunger by which air or liquid may be drawn in through the inlet 4l and forced out through the out-let 42.l This pump within the casing 37 may be used either for the purpose of forcing liquid fuel directly into the furnace of the boiler or to supply lair under pressure for the same purpose, and as the pump is operated by the piston 5 the pump will be active when much steam is being drawn from the boiler and less active when little steam is being drawn off, but never quite still. The fuel-supply will therefore be regulated by the pump according to the demands upon the boiler.

Brackets 67 and 68 are formed on the side of the apparatus, by means of which it may be supported at the water-level of the boiler.

Steam is admitted to the main steam-cylinder through a steam-inlet opening 46, which, as shown in the drawings, enters at oneside of the valve-cylinder 47 within the casing 34 and passes from said Valve-cylinder through, the ports 48 and 49 alternately to the opposite ends of the main steam-piston 5. Passageways 50 and 5l extend in opposite directions from the port 46 through the body of the casing and communicate with the interior of the valve-cylinder through the ports 52 Vand. 53, respectively, arranged near the ends of said cylinder. The auxiliary valve com prises two heads 54 and 55, which are suitably secured to the valve-stem 33, and these heads are so arranged that when in their central position (shown in Fig. 3) their outer ends will extend over and close the ports 52 and 53, and a slight movement of the auxiliary Valve in either direction will uncover one or the other of said ports. The main valve 56 is tubular in form and surrounds the valve-stem between the heads of the auxiliary valve, there being, as shown, considerable play between the main and auxiliary valves and room for the passage of steam between the valve-stem and the walls of the main valve. -The main Valve is formed with a central annular groove 57 upon its periphery, which serves as a port for connecting the steam-inlet 46 with the passage-ways 48 and 49 alternately, and similar grooves 58 and 59 are formed in the valve at opposite sides of the groove 57, said grooves 58 and 59 constituting the exhaust-ports in the valve, which in turn conduct the lexhaust-steam throughl the ports 60 and 61, respectively, to the main exhaust-outlet 62.

When the main piston 5 nears thev completion of its movement to the right, the tappetarm 30, engagingy the tappet 32 upon the valve-stem, moves the auxiliary valve to its mid-position, carrying with it the main Valve to nearly the mid-position of the latter, and said main valve gradually closes the steam and exhaust ports of the steam-cylinder and cushions the piston 5. At the mid-position of the auxiliary valve the port 52 is disclosed. Steam immediately enters through said port and forces the auxiliary valve to the extreme right, as shown in Fig. 2, the head 54 of the latter carrying with it the main valve 56. This movement of the main valve to the right permits live steam to pass from the steam-inlet 46 by way of the port 57 and passage-way 49 to the right-hand end of the main piston, while the exhaust-steam is permitted to pass, by way of the passage-way 48 and port 58, to

the exhaust-port 60. The main steam-piston is then driven to the left, and when near the completion ofits stroke the engagement of the tappet-arm 30 with the tappet 3l moves the auxiliary valve and main valve to the left, gradually closing the main steam and exhaust ports of the cylinder until the head 55 uncovers the port 53, when the valves will be thrown over to the extreme left by steam entering through said port. Steam will then IOO enter the main cylinder through the port 57 be seen, therefore, that during the rst half of the motion of the auxiliary-valve pistons in either direction the main tubular valve is picked up and carried along to nearly its midposition before ports 52 or 53 are uncovered, thereby gradually closing the main steam and exhaust ports to steam-cylinder before com-- pletely reversing the main valve, and the main piston is thus cushioned at the end of its stroke. In order to permit the exhauststeam to iow freely past the main valve, openings 63 are made through the walls of said valve, and the steam, therefore, may ow through the interior of the valve, as well as through the annular grooves. The ports and 6l are arranged farther apart than the ports 48 and 49, and the annular grooves 58 and 59 are of such width that the ports 60 and 61 are always in communication therewith. The steam, therefore, which passes through the interior of the hollow main valve may eX- haust through both ports. In order to permit the steam which enters the valve-cylinder through the ports 52 and 53 to escape when said ports are closed, passage-ways 64 are formed in each end of the casing, through which this steam may exhaust by way of the ports 65 and 66 into the interior of the hollow main valve and from thence to the exhaustports through openings 63, as will be evident from an inspection of the drawings. The steam and exhaust ports of the auxiliary valve are, on account of the arrangement shown, opened and closed by the valve itself at about the middle of its stroke, and the valve is held positively at its end position during the stroke of the main piston.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a water-cylinder having valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-ways and steaminlet and water-outlet ports adapted for connection to the steam and water spaces of a boiler, said discharge passage-way being arranged to hold water under pressure, of a reciprocative plunger within the cylinder adapted to force water through the discharge passage-way and having a water-pocket adapted to register with said discharge passage-way at one portion of its stroke and with said steam-inlet and water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke.

2. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a water-cylinder having valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-ways and steaminlet and water-outlet ports adapted for connection with the steam and water spaces of a boiler, said discharge passage-way being arranged to hold water under pressure, of a steam-actuated plunger within the cylinder adapted to force Water through the discharge passage way and having a water pocket adapted to register with said passage-way at one portion of its stroke and with said steaminlet and water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke, and means for permitting a portion of the water to escape from the feeder in order to prevent the complete stoppage of the plunger when the boiler is filled to its normal water-level.

3. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a Water-cylinder having valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-ways, and steaminlet and water-outlet ports adapted for connection to the steam and water spaces of a boiler, of a reciprocative plunger within the cylinder adapted to force water through the discharge passage-way and having a waterpocket adapted to register with said passageway at one portion of its stroke and with said steam-inlet and water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke, a steam-cylinder and a piston within said cylinder, said piston being connected to the plunger and having a greater steam area than the area of the end of the plunger.

4. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a water-cylinder having valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-Ways and steaminlet and water-outlet ports adapted for connection to the steam and water spaces of a boiler, and a steam-cylinder connected to one end of said water-cylinder and communicating therewith, of a piston within the steamcylinder, and a plunger connected to said piston and extending into the water-cylinder, said plunger having a Water-pocket adapted to register with said discharge passage-Way at one portion of its stroke, and with said steam-inlet and water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke.

5. In a boiler-feeder the combination with a water-cylinder having valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-ways and steaminlet and water-outlet ports adapted for connection to the steam and water spaces of a boiler, and a steam-cylinder of greater diameter than the water-cylinder connected to one end of said Water-cylinder and communicating therewith, of areciprocative plunger within the water-cylinder adapted to force water through the discharge passage-way and having a water-pocket adapted to register with said passage-way at one portion of its stroke and with said steam-'inlet and water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke, and a piston of greater diameter than the plunger Within the steam-cylinder adapted to be operated by the steam-pressure of the boiler, said piston being connected to the plunger.

6. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a water-cylinder having Valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-Ways, and steaminlet and water-outlet ports adapted for connection to the steam and water spaces of a boiler, and a closed air-chamber comlnunicating with said discharge passage-way, of a recipro cative plunger within the cylinder adapted to force the water through the discharge passage-way and having a water-pocket adapt- IOC) IIO

ed to register with said discharge passage- Way at one portion of its stroke and with said steam-inlet and Water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke.

7. The combination with a boiler-feeder having a plunger arranged to feed Water into the boiler, and to maintain a constant Waterlevel therein, a piston for operating the plunger, and valves for admitting steam to the opposite ends of the piston alternately, the movement of said piston being controlled by the consumption of Water from the boiler, of a fuel-feeding pump operated by said piston and adapted to force fuel to the boiler-furnace.

8. The combination, with a boiler-feeder having a plunger arranged to feed Water into the boiler, and to maintain a constant Waterlevel therein, a piston for operating the plunger and valves for admitting steam to the opposite ends of the piston alternately, the movement of said piston being controlled by the consumption of Water from the boiler, of a rod connected to the piston, a cylinder into which the outer end of said rod extends, said cylinder having valve-controlled inlet and outlet ports, and a tappet-arm upon said rod adapted to cause the operation of the steam- Valves.

9. In a boiler-feeder, the combination with a Water-cylinder having valve-controlled suction and discharge passage-Ways, and steaminlet and Water-outlet ports adapted for connection to the steam and Water spaces lof a boiler, of a reciprocative plunger Within the cylinder adapted to force Water through the discharge passage-Way andv having a Waterpocket adapted to register withysaid passage- Way at one portion of its stroke and lWith said steam-inlet and Water-outlet ports at another portion of its stroke, a steam-cylinder and a piston Within said cylinder, said piston being connected to the plunger and having a greater steam area than the area of the end of the plunger, and means for partially relieving the pressure in the Water-cylinder to prevent the complete stoppage of the plunger when the boiler is filled to its normal Water-level.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

. IRVING S. DAVIS. Witnesses:

T. S. HUFLING, A. C. BAILEY. 

